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Adding to the ambiguity is the con-
tinual identification of Pinchas as
Aaron's grandson. This is Aaron for
whom, proverbially, peace is the highest
ideal, even to the point of acquiescing to
construct the golden calf as demanded
by the people (Exodus 32:2-5).
What then is the proper response to
his week's Torah portion
reflects the complexity of the
the challenge? Should one behave like
Torah and, in truth, of the -
Pinchas — the fanatic who takes the law
reality to which the Torah
into his own hands and reacts violently?
Or should Moses, the self-effacing mod-
must relate.
erate who leads by example, be the role
At the beginning of the portion, we
have Pinchas, the grandson of Aaron the
model? Perhaps the meekness and acqui-
escence of Aaron, striving
high priest, being praised and
always to achieve peace,
rewarded for his actions
should be our ideal?
described at the end of the pre-
The obvious answer to
vious portion. The women of
this question is: It all
Moab and Milian had been
depends. Certainly the type
sent to seduce the Jewish men
of response necessary
into sexual immorality and
depends on the particular
idolatry. It appears the leader-
circumstances of the event.
ship of the Jewish nation was
One kind of behavior cannot
unable to act decisively and
possibly be the best response
God in His anger had struck
RABBI ELIEZER
in every circumstance.
the nation with a plague.
COHEN
Sometimes one reaction is
When a Jewish man publicly
Special to the
called for and sometimes
flaunted his immorality with a
Jewish News
another reaction is necessary.
Midianite woman, Pinchas
Likewise, different people will
zealously killed them both.
opt for different behavior based on their
At the beginning of this portion,
own strengths and characters and their
Pinchas' victims are identified as impor-
personal perception of the situation: The
tant personages in their respective com-
munities; and Pinchas is rewarded and
bottom line is that one size does not fit
all. This is true in life; and, therefore,
praised for "acting jealously on behalf of
this is true in Torah. There is no "one
God" and averting God's anger, thereby
right answer" for every question in
saving the nation (Numbers 25:11). It
seems quite clear that the Torah is telling Haldcha (Jewish law), Jewish tradition or
us that fanaticism, extremism and
Jewish sensibility.
Therefore, for someone to offer the
zealotry and the resultant violence are
monolithic so-called "Jewish" attitude or
not only condoned but even approved
response to any given question is to over
and held up as an ideal. The attitude in
simplify, misstate and misapply the
these verses is even formulated into
sources. Such falsification is the result of
Jewish law.
either a misunderstanding of the sources
On the other hand, when Moses is
themselves, a preconceived conclusion
told he will soon die (Numbers 27:15-
for which one is simply seeking a justifi-
23), he entreats God to appoint a leader
cation in Jewish tradition or a lazy
over the nation "who will go out before
refusal to do the research necessary to
them and will come in before them and
will take them out and bring them in;
find the real truth.
Life is not simple, nor are people;
and the community of the Lord will not
therefore, the Torah — the divine guide
. be as sheep without a shepherd" (27:17).
for the life of the Jewish people, cannot
Moses considers the function of the
be simple either.
head of the Jewish people as primarily a
role model, an exemplar who influences
the nation to do as he does and one who
participates in the same activities as the
nation; he is the "shepherd" of the peo-
What examples from the Torah do
ple. God tells Moses that the next leader
we have for different types of
will be his disciple Joshua. This is Joshua
response? What examples from real
who previously (Numbers 11:28,29) is
life can we think of for the variety of
taught by Moses that jealousy and
responses? What variables play a role
zealotry to what Joshua considers a chal-
in determining what is proper behav-
lenge to Moses' authority is not the cor-
ior? Are there any absolutes or is the
rect response.
proper response always relative?
Shabbat Pinchas:
Numbers 25 : 10-30: 1;
Jeremiah 1:1-2:3.
41 4 es lmk'
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